§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many homes in(a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire will benefit from the increase in maternity leave under the Employment Relations Act 1999 and its associated regulations; and if he will make a statement. [100598]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonNo information is available at this level of geographical detail. However, nationally 2.8 million female employees under 40 could benefit from the increase in statutory maternity leave should they become pregnant, and 1 million from the wider entitlement to additional maternity leave should they become pregnant. In the West Midlands there are 256,000 female employees under 40 who would benefit from the increase in statutory maternity leave should they become pregnant and 82,000 who would benefit from the wider entitlement to additional maternity leave should they become pregnant.